Walking Athens - Small Group Tour

See the uniquely dressed Evzones on this Athens tour. Explore bustling pedestrian streets and travel by metro to see some historic sites. Experience ancient Greece with a guide at the Acropolis. Be amazed by Hadrian's Arch and visit the home of the first Olympics. Finish your Athens tour by shopping in Plaka.

Highlights

Immerse yourself in the city’s ancient history while also learning about Athens as it is today on this jam-packed Athens tour

Walk along streets lined with historical sites, from the famous to the less known areas

Learn about Athens’ history from a local's perspective instead of a guidebook

Witness the Greek changing of the guard

Explore secret corners of the city that you’d never find on your own

Specifications

Type:

Tours around Athens

Departs From:

Athens

Meeting Point:

Syntagma Square

Duration:

3 hours

Availability:

daily except Sunday at
9:30 AM

Product Code:

8859

Voucher info:

Paper voucher printout not required for this activity. You may show e-voucher from your mobile device.

Description

Explore the city's major sites by foot on this Athens walking tour. Begin in Syntagma Square and see the Evzones hard at work. Then head to the *Acropolis before a spot of window shopping in the Plaka area, and enjoying some of the cool things to do in Athens. Finish by exploring Hadrian's Arch, the Temple of Jupiter and the Panathinaikos Marble stadium.

Start this historical Athens walking tour by meeting your local guide in Syntagma Square, the most important and crowded square in Athens. Around the square, you will find impressive neoclassical buildings. The best known is the Grande Bretagne, once a royal palace and now a luxury hotel which has housed everyone from Churchill to Madonna. At the upper end of the square see the Evzones, the guards of the Constitution, and the tomb of the unknown soldier. The Evzones are traditionally dressed with 17th and 18th century clothes: an impressive white skirt, red hat and an old rifle. The changing of the guard happens every hour and we'll be sure to see the spectacle as it is a must on the Athens things to do list!

Jumping on the metro and traveling to Monastiraki is the next local adventure on our Athens tour. Traveling between these stations is like stepping back in time; both have exposed ancient ruins behind glass, which were discovered during the excavations for the metro system. Walk from the station as you get ready to experience some Athens sightseeing wonders - we'll make our way around the walls of Ancient *Acropolis through the Ancient Agora. Learn about the history and the myths from each temple and savor explanations about the Athina Nike, the Caryatides and the Parthenon, all of which were constructed in the Golden Age of Athens under Pericles.

Then explore the Plaka area. Shop for souvenirs along Adriannou Street where you can find local products such as ouzo, the National Alcohol of Greece. All taverns in Greece sell ouzo and here you'll see different types from all over the country, made in many different ways. You'll also see shops that specialize in olive oil, sponges, icons, leather sandals or bags - something you won't experience on other Athens tours.

Continue walking to Diogenis Square, under the impressive wall of the *Acropolis. See Hadrian's Arch, built in honor of one of the most glorified Roman emperors. Directly behind it you'll see the ruins of the Jupiter (Zeus) temple, and there you'll relish Athens' history. Pass by the National Garden and Zappeion, to arrive at the white marble Panathinaiko Stadium. Made of white marble, it was here that the first Olympic games took place and where the 2004 Olympic marathon ended.

Finally, be taken back to present-day Athens to admire some of Athens' more modern architecture.We walk through the new city highlights, where life goes on in modern rhythms. See where locals wander , shop and gather. Visit the Kolonaki area, which is the heart of today's Athens.

The Athens walking tour comes to an end at the Academy of Athens,where you are free to continue your own personal exploration, or your local guide can tell you how to get back to your hotel, where you can digest all that history!

Includes

English speaking guide

Food tastings (starting 1 January 2016)

Excludes

Entrance fees

Transport

Personal expenses

Tips and gratuities

Optional activity costs

Meals and drinks

Please Note

Participants must be at least 12 years old.

Tour will be operated as a guaranteed Small Group Tour with a maximum of 12 guests.

Tour takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours.

In many churches modest dress is required. No shorts or skimpy tops are permitted.

*Please note that tour inside the Acropolis is not included in tour price. If you wish to tour inside the Acropolis, this will have to be done separately on your own time.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation: 4 days or more prior to start date of activity.

100% Cancellation Fee (no reimbursement): 3 days or less prior to date of activity.

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